Theme for the 2017 Jefferson Fellowships Program is, “Trade, Security and Strategic Relationships in Asia Pacific and the Future of the US Role”

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (PNG Post-Courier, December 23, 2016) – The East-West Center in Honolulu, Hawaii is now accepting applications for the 2017 Jefferson Fellowships Program, according to the U.S. Embassy in Port Moresby.

The Jefferson Fellowships offer print and broadcast journalists from the United States, Asia and the Pacific Islands the unique opportunity to gain on-the-ground perspectives and build international networks to enhance their reporting through an intensive one-week education and dialogue seminar at the East-West Center in Honolulu followed by a two week reporting tour in the Asia Pacific-U.S. region.

These grant funds provide for 10-12 full or partial scholarships, including approximately 4-5 for qualified American journalists and 7-8 for Asia Pacific journalists.

All participants, regardless of the scholarship amount, must pay an $800 U.S. dollar programming fee to cover costs not provided by the scholarship funds.

Participants are also responsible for all applicable visa fees, any additional visa-related expenses, health insurance, and baggage fees. Full sponsorship for one journalist would be approximately $5,125 U.S. dollars plus international airfare.

Participants and their media organizations are strongly encouraged to cost share. The deadline for submitting applications to the 2017 Jefferson Fellowships Program is January 26, 2017.

Print, broadcast, and on-line journalists working in the United States, Asia, and the Pacific Islands may apply. Journalists with a minimum of five years of work experience are preferred. English fluency is required.

The theme for the 2017 Jefferson Fellowships Program is, “Trade, Security and Strategic Relationships in Asia Pacific and the Future of the US Role” and the program is scheduled for May 6th -28th, 2017. Participants will expect program travel to include: Honolulu, Hawaii; Tokyo, Japan; Beijing and Shenzhen, China; and Manila, Philippines.

For additional information about the program, application instructions, and to learn about scholarship funding opportunities, please refer to the East-West Center’s website: http://www.eastwestcenter.org/node/35921

Pacific Islands Report is a nonprofit news publication of the Pacific Islands Development Program at the East-West Center in Honolulu, Hawai‘i. Offered as a free service to readers, PIR provides an edited digest of news, commentary and analysis from across the Pacific Islands region, Monday - Friday.